by Donna Quesada: Anxiety and depression have never been so prevalent.
And those of us who are sensitive to the chaos in the world, both politically and environmentally, are particularly vulnerable. I have found that the most effective remedy is often the simplest… prayer. Prayer to your angels, or to your ancestors, to God, or to the universe. Prayer to whatever larger force you feel connected to, even if there is no name for this force.
Throughout my own spiritual journey, I have also learned that depression and anxiety are linked to “catastrophic thinking,” which is the tendency to expect the worst or focus only on what could go wrong. And this in turn, keeps us in a perpetual state of worry, which then pulls us out of the present moment and into the non-existent land of the future. When this goes on long enough, it steals our joy.
A simple meditative prayer brings us immediately back to this moment where we can find God in the flowers and in the wind. Where we can find gladness and love in the drops of rain that fall around us… and where we can see beauty in every moment and in every breath we were blessed with.
This prayerful meditation is from my latest collection of prayers, called NEW PRAYERS TO MARY, featuring musical accompaniment from my partner, Thierry. I directed these prayers to Mary as a way of remembering my Italian grandmother, who had beautiful images of Mary around the house, and who showed me how to pray when I was a girl. I hope you enjoy it!
